Marriott’s Autograph Collection makes China debut

20 Mar 2017 by Craig Bright

After making its debut in Malaysia back in January, Marriott’s Autograph Collection group of independent hotels has now made its way to China following the opening of The Shanhaitian Resort Sanya, Autograph Collection on Hainan Island.

Located in Sanya’s Dadonghai Bay, the Shanhaitian Resort Sanya has 199 guestrooms and 17 suites across four design styles – Italian Elegance, French Chic, British Fabulous and American Classic. The hotel’s wave-like design has taken inspiration from the water surrounding the property, while its glass chandeliers are designed to represent schools of fish.

Bangkok-based P49 Design & Associates were behind the hotel’s appearance. According to Julius Robinson, VP and global brand lead for Autograph Collection Hotels, “the Shanhaitian Resort Sanya was hand-selected for its original design, rich character and differentiated guest experiences”.

Along with its accommodation offerings, the hotel also features five food and beverage outlets, offering contemporary Chinese cuisine, international fare and seafood, small bites, high tea and cocktails. The hotel’s The Podium on the third floor, meanwhile, offers wellness and fitness recreational facilities, including an infinity pool, a glass-walled gym with heated sauna, swim-up pool bar, and a spa with four “huts” acting as bespoke treatment rooms.

For corporate groups, a total of 830 sqm of meetings and events space is also on offer, with a 500 sqm pillarless grand ballroom the largest of the facilities.

“Sanya is quickly becoming one of the top leisure destinations in China, creating strong opportunities for growth,” said Julian Wong, the hotel’s general manager. “We look forward to bringing the principles of the Autograph Collection Hotels brand to life by creating distinctive and authentic experiences that will resonate with our guests, highlighting the uniqueness of the destination and our exquisite property.”

Along with its new Shanhaitian Resort, the Autograph Collection currently has more than 100 properties in its portfolio worldwide, with the brand set to reach 200 hotels in the next five years. Among its new and upcoming Asia-Pacific openings are hotels in Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, China and the Philippines.

Sanya has been seeing a number of new properties opening up in recent months, most notably the 20.2-hectare Edition Sanya, which opened its doors in December last year.